


The Heart of Nowhere

by broadrippleisburning



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, M/M, based off of Noah and the Whale's short film, but not really, kind of dystopian, they seem a bit ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2018-01-07 21:03:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1124357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broadrippleisburning/pseuds/broadrippleisburning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“The concert.” Jehan agreed nodding. “It's our last show, we have to play it, and I mean, they're gonna find us eventually anyways, so let's show them that we're not afraid.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Heart of Nowhere

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of the short film Noah and the Whale did for their album Heart of Nowhere called Heart of Nowhere, it's pretty good and I suggest you watch it, though it's not really important to understand this fic. I also used some direct quotes from the film so there's that.

No one really knows _why_ they do it, they just know they do. It had started a few years before they had been born, they had heard stories of people who had been alive when it had happened, they were gone now, of course, but their stories lived on, being passed down through generations, when new kids arrived at the young age of thirteen, the older ones would take it upon themselves to explain what was happening.

The government decided that adolescents were detrimental to a well functioning society and decided to pack all of the worlds adolescents into remote camps, keeping them contained and in check until they came of age and were ready to be released back into the real world, their childhood memories would be erased and they would be forced to start a new life knowing nothing about themselves.

The camp containing the adolescents of Paris, an isolated island within the city, became colloquially referred to as Teenland by it's residents.

 

* * *

 

 

It occurred to Grantaire, while he stood in line with Jehan and Marius, in the process of being screened for adulthood, eighteen came too fast. Marius had already had his identity verified, then shoved roughly past the guards the stand with the others awaiting whatever was coming next. Jehan was next, uncooperative, but still not resisting, he nodded tersely to Grantaire before passing through security to join Marius, then Grantaire was up. The security guard waved him up, barely looking up from his computer, Grantaire stood stiff in his spot in line, Marius and Jehan whispering on the opposite side of the chain link fence that divided them.

 

As Grantaire stood his ground it became evident to the guards that he would not be cooperating. The guard waiting with a metal detector stepped forward, grabbing Grantaire's arm roughly, Grantaire decided _this_ was the moment, he rolled his shoulder back, lifted his arm, and let his fist collide with the security guard's face, who lurched back, releasing Grantaire's arm who shook his fist out before turning on his heels and racing down the hallway, the pounding of feet behind him.

 

He didn't know if it was Marius and Jehan, but he could tell that if it was, they weren't alone. He skidded to a stop in front of a door, turning the knob and pushing with all his weight, when two bodies slammed against the wall beside him.

 

“Thought you two might've gotten lost.” He smirked, stepping back from the door and pushing his hair from his face. “Come on, let's get out of here.”

 

They didn't have time to figure out the door, they rushed down the hallway, turning left and right, making their way deeper into the bowels of the building, at one point they ran up a staircase, running in a security guard on the way, pushing him into the wall where he tumbled and fell down the staircase behind them. They continued running without looking back. They checked every door they came to, they were all locked, hallway after hallway of locked doors, the ran further, effectively losing the guards in the labyrinth of a building, but they kept running, not slowing down even if they weren't in immediate danger, out of fear for being caught.

 

They kept going, out of breath and lost, until they finally found an unlocked door, they ran in, grabbing the nearest chair and shoving it under the doorknob to keep it locked, to buy some time. When they turned around they were in some sort of control room, or surveillance room, there were computer screens on either side of a large glass window, showing clips of various places throughout Teenland, various people, but the most disturbing thing by far was what was beyond the glass window.

 

There were people, rows and rows of people, all spread out on the floor laying on mats, their faces blank, wires connected to their arms and heads. They were all dressed in identical white uniforms, thin and loose fitting, but the thing that stood out most to Grantaire was the door located behind them, it looked like the sort of door you would find located in a loading dock, the type that slid up like a garage to reveal the shipping trucks located outside, waiting to take away the sleeping cargo.

 

They found the small door leading into the room, which was, miraculously, also unlocked, they hurried in, the door banging shut behind them.

 

Grantaire was the first to the door but paused when he realized the other weren't with him, when he looked back, Jehan was crouched on the floor, leaning over one of the bodies, Marius standing above him, hand resting on Jehan's shoulder.

 

“Who is it?” Grantaire asked, the fact that all the people were teenagers with familiar faces had not slipped his notice, he was just too afraid to look closer.

 

“Courfeyrac.” Marius said quietly. Courf had turned a while ago, it seemed like forever ago, and they had all assumed he would be getting sued to adult life by now, doing adult things, having adult friends. Jehan was shaking his shoulders, asking him to wake up, repeating it over and over.

 

“Come on, we need to keep going. They won't be that far behind us.” Grantaire reasoned, glancing at the door behind them. “There's nothing we can do for him.”

 

He knew Jehan didn't want to leave him, Grantaire could barely force himself to look away and keep walking, but they had to, they had to get away, they had to keep going, they had to do _something._ Marius helped Jehan up pulling him by the hand to where Grantaire was pulling up the door. The other two came to help, their combined strength enough to pry the door open. It led out onto a balcony, it was all metal, small and dangerous, a steep staircase led down to the ground, the wound down it one by one, taking a break at the bottom, leaning against the wall, panting.

 

And then from there they run. Through the field of weeds surrounding the medical facility which serves as the only way on or off of the island. They run through the knee high grasses and weeds, keeping crouched down, trying to blend in, skirting around the chain link fence until they find a gap big enough for them to escape through, and then they run, they run until their legs hurt and their lungs burn, they run until they find themselves under the protection of an abandoned building, like so many others in Teenland, it's desolate and quiet, the windows smashed and concrete walls covered in graffiti, varying from political statements to peoples names to hastily scrawled profanities.

 

They collapse against the wall, trying to catch their breaths. Grantaire catches Marius' eye and then he's laughing, at first it's small and he's still catching his breath, and then he can't stop and Marius is joining in and then Jehan too and they're all sitting on the ground, clutching their stomachs, laughing, because what else could they do? Their situation was so ridiculous, none of them could believe they actually got away with it, not that they _had_ gotten away with it, they had just gotten away, for now.

 

That's how Enjolras found them, breathless and laughing and _happy_. It took them a moment to notice Enjolras, and the others for that matter, he wasn't alone, he had come with a crowd of people, some they were close with, some they knew from their social circles, and others they'd never seen before.

 

“Everyone's talking about you, no one really knows if you did it or not.” Enjolras said, smiling as he helped Grantaire up.

 

Grantaire just smiled, pressing his forehead to Enjolras', wrapping one arm around his neck the other resting on his waist.

 

“Okay, okay, _love birds_ , but we have something more pressing to deal with.” Jehan laughed, helping Marius to his feet. Enjolras and Grantaire pulled apart reluctantly, Grantaire's arm remaining wrapped around Enjolras' waist.

 

“The concert?” Grantaire guessed.

 

“The concert.” Jehan agreed nodding. “It's our last show, we have to play it, and I mean, they're gonna find us eventually anyways, so let's show them that we're not afraid.”

 

“I'm in if you guys are in.” Grantaire said, turning to Marius who was looking nervous.

 

“I guess. We'll be caught eventually anyways, won't we? So why not go out with a bang?” Marius shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.

 

Grantaire whooped and Jehan hugged him, pulling Grantaire over to join the hug.

 

“One last Amis show, one last chance to show them what we're made of, and it will be the best show yet.” Jehan promised, kissing them both on the cheek before releasing them. “Come on, let's go get ready.”

 

They had to go back to their flat to get their equipment, which meant they had to travel across the island, passing people they knew, and people they didn't, almost all of them congratulating them on what they had done, they were practically famous, everyone knew who they were, everyone was talking about them.

 

They got to the flat and Enjolras went with Grantaire to his room, Jehan and Marius going to their rooms to collect their things.

 

“I didn't think I was going to see you again.” Grantaire admitted, putting his guitar in it's case. Enjolras was a year younger than them, he wouldn't be screened for compatibility for adulthood for another year, but he still had Combeferre, and a couple others. There was always someone, Grantaire knew he Enjolras didn't need him, he would get over him quickly.

 

“Neither did I, but looks like we get one more night.” Enjolras said, wrapping his arms around Grantaire and burying his face in Grantaire's neck. “ Let's make the most of it.”

 

Grantaire picked his guitar case up, pulling away from Enjolras, grabbing his hand before leading him out into the hallway where Jehan and Marius were already waiting.

 

“Well, let's do this.” Grantaire said, leading the way down the hallway, past the boarded up windows and plaster walls covered in drawings.

 

“You're under arrest!” They'd barely made it to the staircase when they approached the figure, holding a gun up to them, Marius squeaked and then the guy holding the gun laughed, putting it down.

 

That's when Grantaire recognized it as Montparnasse, he was known for being the islands' biggest drug dealer, not hard drugs, mostly marijuana and the occasional weapons.

 

“Parnasse? What are you doing here?” Jehan asked, setting his things on the floor.

 

“I heard what you did, hard not to with the whole bloody island talking about it.” Montparnasse said, shaking his head. “So I decided I needed to come talk to you.

 

“What you did was crazy, and I don't know if you're planning on running or what, but I'm betting you won't get away with it for long. That's why I came to talk to you.” He pulled a cigarette out of the pocket of his immaculate pea coat jacket, putting it between his ridiculously red lips, before offering the rest of them one. Everyone refused, except Grantaire, putting it in his pocket for later. “So, the thing is, you need to play that gig tonight, it means something to the people here, it can do something, it stands for one thing; _rebellion_ , and it shows those _fuckers_ out there that we are not afraid, that we won't be quiet, they can't shut us up that easily.”

 

He lit the cigarette, inhaling deeply when one of his cronies showed up, whispering something to him, before disappearing down the stairs.

 

“There's someone coming. You guys leave your things here, I'll make sure they get to the concert.” Montparnasse promised, grinning at them. When they started to protest he rolled his eyes, urging them out the back entrance, promising he's take good care of their things.

 

“Thank you!” Jehan exclaimed, pulling Montparnasse in for a quick hug before hurrying after the others, leaving a blushing Montparnasse behind.

 

 

 

They sneaked out the back door, sticking close to the walls, navigating their way through the falling apart buildings, taking back alleys until they found themselves on the roof of one of the empty buildings on the edge of the island, the sun was setting and they only had a little bit of time to kill before their gig, but they had spent so much time her throughout their adolescence it would have been wrong if they didn't come back for one final goodbye.

 

Jehan and Marius were leaning against the barrier, looking down at the streets below them, passing a cigarette back and forth.

 

“Do you think they'd actually erase our memories?” Jehan asked, passing the cigarette to Marius.

 

“I don't know, but it's what everyone tells you, isn't it?” Marius shrugged.

 

“But no memories! None! What does that even mean?”

 

 

“Well, I guess it's a chance to start again. Be a new person.”

 

“What's wrong with Jehan? What's wrong with Marius? Fuck Jehan the accountant, Jehan the office worker, fuck Jehan who, who doesn't _live_. Fuck him, I don't wanna know him.” Jehan sighed, taking the cigarette from Marius and taking one last puff before flicking it over the edge.

 

“Like, you know those kids in Poland? The ones Feuilly's always talking about? ” Jehan asked, excitedly.

 

“That's a just _story_ , to make the younger kids feel better.”

 

“They say twenty kids rushed the gates at once, that's how they got away, but think about it, that could be _us.”_

 

“Yeah, okay.” Marius paused, smiling to himself. “Hey, do you think Cosette will be at the show?”

 

“Yeah, she wouldn't miss it, she's gonna be there, like always.” Jehan reassured him , wrapping his arm around Marius' shoulders.

 

 

Across the roof Grantaire and Enjolras were huddled together on the metal stairs leading to the entrance to the roof, Grantaire's head resting on Enjolras' shoulder.

 

“I feel unprepared.” Grantaire admitted, turning his head to look up at Enjolras.

 

“Everyone always does.” Enjolras replied smiling, grabbing Grantaire's hand and pressing his lips lightly to the scarred knuckles.

 

“I'm scared.” Grantaire whispered, looking away. “What am I supposed to do without you?”

“You'll do what you always do, you'll survive.”

 

Grantaire looked back up at him, their eyes meeting, and Grantaire leaned in, bringing one hand up to twine his finger through Enjolras' hair, the other resting on the back of his neck. When their lips met it was like everything was okay again, it was as if they would still be together in the morning, Grantaire would wake up beside Enjolras, and everything would be okay.

 

But the moment was over too quickly, Grantaire pulling away when he felt his eyes burning, a lump in the back of his throat.

 

“We should get going, last show and all, don't wanna be late.” He laughed, his voice hoarse.

 

 

He stood up, grasping Enjolras' hand, maybe a bit too hard but neither of them were in the mood to say anything.

 

Marius and Jehan wandered over, Jehan grabbing Grantaire's other hand before they all headed back outside, making their way to the arcade where they would be playing their last show. They wandered through eh streets like that, making their way with their hands linked. There weren't many kids still outside, and the ones who were were either on their way somewhere or doing more rebellious activities. They walked in silence, until Marius saw someone walking out of their building waving behind them and shouting a quick goodbye.

 

“Cosette!” Marius shouted, dropping Jehan's hand and running over to her.

 

The other three stood watching while Marius gave her a quick hug, and then stepped away wringing his hands nervously, even from across the street they could tell he was blushing.

 

They talked for a few more minutes, Cosette nodding at whatever he was saying before kissing him on the cheek quickly and turning to head back into her building. Marius wandered over looking dazed.

 

“What was that?” Enjolras asked with a smirk.

 

“Cosette's going to come to the show, she said she'd meet me after! Did you see that? She _kissed_ me.” Marius chatted excitedly, walking in front of them, leading the way.

 

They got to the arcade within ten minutes, and still ended up being early for their show, they all gathered in the back room, preparing for the show.

 

Grantaire had brought along his stick n poke kit, and was intent and giving them each tattoos, _something with meaning_ he insisted, and they all agreed, seeing as this would be their last night together, and Grantaire was known around the area for his homemade tattoos.

 

He only did something simple, it was small, Marius grimaced, biting the collar of his shirt, Enjolras chewed his lip, though he didn't didn't seem to be in much pain, and Jehan was calm, squeezing Grantaire's hand a few times, though it wasn't the first tattoo Grantaire had given him. And then Grantaire did himself, knitting his eyebrows together as he worked. At the end they all matched, on the inside of their index fingers they all had the same three letters _ABC_ , something to remind them of each other, something to keep with them even if all their memories were gone.

 

Grantaire managed to find an old tape recorder on one of the shelves, and decided to interview Jehan, asking him questions about everything and nothing.

 

“So, first of all, what is your name?” He asked holding the little microphone out to Jehan.

 

“Jean Prouvaire, Jehan.” Jehan smiled sitting down on the couch beside Grantaire, Marius and Enjolras sitting at their feet.

 

“Okay, uh, what is your favourite colour?”

 

“Brown, no _mauve._ ”

 

“Okay, good choice. You're age?”

 

“Eighteen.”

 

“Profession?”

 

“Bass player.”

 

“And when, Jehan, did you realize you were playing bass in the best rock and roll band of all time?”

 

“It just happened, as soon as I picked up that bass, I just knew _that is what these fingers are_ _for_ and as soon as the three of us got together _,_ that was it. It was fucking magic.”

 

“Any messages to your future self?” Grantaire asked smiling.

 

Jehan sat for a minute, looking thoughtful before wrapping his hand around the microphone speaking low, “Whatever you do _do not_ let them cut your hair. That's the most important, keep the hair, _you've got to keep the hair_. And especially don't let them put you in front of a desk.”

 

“Well said.” Grantaire said, turning the tape recorder off. “I think it's about time we went out there.”

“Yeah?” Marius asked looking nervous.

 

“Yeah.” Jehan nodded, pulling them all in for one last final pre-show hug. “Let's do this.”

 

They filtered out, Enjolras going to join the crowd, Grantaire, Marius, and Jehan climbing up onto the stage, welcoming the crowd, Marius blushing as he located Cosette in the audience.

 

The show went quickly, the audience swaying to the music, a few even knew them well enough to sing along, by the time they were halfway through the last song Enjolras had retreated into the back of the arcade, sitting in one of the many plush couches that populated the area, hugging his knees to his chest.

 

“You were hoping for so much more,  
But it's not too late, no, it's not too late  
I can give you so much more,  
But it's not too late, no, it's not too late.” Grantaire sang the last verse, his voice cracking at the end. 

 

They crowd applauded, a few shouts from the particularity enthusiastic fans, but as soon as he was finished Grantaire laid down his guitar, navigating through the crowds of people to where Enjolras had retreated to in the back.

 

“Hey, it's okay, I'm here.” He said, crouching down in front of him, wrapping his arms around him, he often forgot _he_ was the older one, Enjolras just always seemed to be so much older, so much more mature. “What's wrong?”

 

“I just can't do this. I can't deal with you being gone, we haven't even been together that long it's just, I don't know.” Enjolras whispered, his eyes red.

 

“No, it's okay, we'll be fine.” Grantaire said, curling up on the chair beside him, his arms still around him, head tucked onto his shoulder, they sat together in silence watching the rest of the crowd.

 

 

Marius, across the arcade, had found Cosette and they were dancing together, Cosette's head resting on Marius' chest, dancing like they were the only two people in the world. 

 

“I'm going to miss you.” Marius told her, planting a kiss on the top of her head.

 

“Don't be silly. You don't need me, you will go out in adulthood and forget about all us, you'll be too busy with all your adult friends.” She replied smiling up at him.

 

“At least we have this one last night together.” Marius sighed, before leaning down to capture her lips in a kiss.

 

 

Jehan had found his way outside, he was searching in his pockets for his lighter, his last cigarette perched between his lips when Montparnasse sauntered up to him.

 

“Need a light?” He asked, flicking his lighter to life and bringing it to the tip of Jehan's cigarette, Jehan nodded in thanks.

 

“So how did you like the show?” Jehan asked blowing out a breath of smoke.

 

“Hmmm, not the best I've bee to, but pretty good.” Montparnasse smirked, taking his own cigarette out and lighting it up.

 

“Ah, that's too bad. Thank you for setting our stuff up by the way.” Jehan said, wrapping his arm around his stomach, the wind cutting through his hoodie and schilling him to the bone.

 

“It's no problem, especially not for _you_.” Montparnasse drawled, flicking his half finished cigarette away. “Let's go inside, you're shivering so hard you're making me cold.”

 

Montparnasse wrapped his arm around Jehan's shoulders as they walked, and Jehan leaned into it, breathing in the familiar scent of tobacco and mint that always seemed to follow Montparnasse.

 

When they walked back in Jehan let out a little squeal when he saw Marius and Cosette kissing on the dance floor, Montparnasse rolled his eyes and sighed mumbling about how it took them long enough.

 

“So, this is your last night, isn't it?” Montparnasse asked, his breath hot on Jehan's neck. “Guess we'd better make the best of it.

 

Jehan took this as an invitation, he pushed Montparnasse up against the wall, crushing their lips together. Montparnasse smiled into the kiss, their teeth knocking together. Montparnasse looped his thumbs in Jehan's belt loops, pulling him closer, he laughed pulling away, about to say something when the power went out.

 

The arcade went silent, all eyes on Jehan, Marius, and Grantaire. Enjolras was pulling Grantaire to his feet, Marius dragging Cosette behind him to meet up with the other two, his eyes wide with fear. At first, they didn’t say anything, they communicated silently, their eyes locked with each other, and then there was a banging on the door. A few people screamed, but then the door burst open, guards with flashlights burst in.

 

Behind him Jehan felt Montparnasse press his switchblade into Jehan's hand, but he knew there was no point, he let it fall to the ground, nodding at Marius who nodded back solemnly, turning to Cosette, giving her one final kiss.

 

Grantaire had tears streaming down his face, he tried to stop them, but there was no point, Enjolras smiled a watery smile at him, kissing him on the cheek, squeezing his hand and whispering that he loved him.

 

“I love you too.” Grantaire replied, and then he fell to the ground, his legs knocked out from behind him from a blow to the knees, he didn't resist, and neither did the others, this is what they wanted, it was easiest this way. He was pushed roughly to the ground before passing out, his head colliding with the hard concrete floor.

 

* * *

 

 

When Grantaire woke up he was confused, he didn't know where he was, he couldn't remember how he got there, he couldn't remember _anything, except_ his name.

 

He was herded into a line with a bunch of other confused people with blank faces, all wearing the same thin, loose fitting white jumpsuit. The line moved forward slowly and they were led outside, packed into trucks, their wrists bound.

 

As he sat in the back of the truck, Grantaire looked down at his hands, they were calloused and rough, covered in scars, and on the inside of his index finger he had the letters _ABC_ tattooed, he didn't know why, but it seemed important. He looked up as the bench opposite him was filled, the boy sitting directly across from him looked strangely familiar, his thin limbs and long hair, they were, for some reason, important to him, his mind was screaming at him, urging him to remember, and then, as their eyes met, and a flicker of recognition passed across the other boy's face he remembered.

 

_Jehan._

 


End file.
